Last summer we reported on an interesting development being planned for Wixs Lane. It would replace the car park behind Dacres House (a block of flats that faces Cedars Road) with two semi-detached modern houses (one three-bed and one four-bed), and was being taken forward on behalf of the owners of Dacres House.

It struck us as a decent example of a proportionate use of a site – not cramming things in to every possible space, and putting all the parking and servicing in to the ‘underground’ areas to allow as much light and space as possible on the main living floors.  It would create two houses, both with outdoor space, and thoughtfully designed for the location, with brick echoing the Victorian houses to the left but a design that echoes the Cedars Road Estate buildings on the right.  The living room of one house faces south, and the other north, allowing both a good degree of privacy despite the compact urban site.  

Planned view from Wixs Lane (© Add Architects)

And the build now well underway – with a large steel structure being pretty clearly visible from Wixs Lane –

The existing long access ramp that leads from Wixs Lane to the car park will remain in use, as the entrance to the garages and lower floors of the new development – it’s visible in the bottom right hand corner of the artists’ impression below.

Planned aerial view (© Add Architects)